26o 



NA TURE 



\_/u/y 10, 1884 



pressure, this gas is resolved into an extremely volatile colour- 

 less fluid, which, in again passing to the gaseous state, yields a 

 degree of cold sufficient immediately to liquefy oxygen. Under 

 these conditions the liquefaction of oxygen becomes one of the 

 simplest operations of the laboratory.— Remarks on the project 

 ng a so-called inland sea in Algeria and Tunisia, by M. 

 E. Cosson. The author regards as chimerical Dr. Rouire's 

 ,, heme for converting the Shott Melghir into a marine basin by 

 means of a canal, 145 miles long, communicating with the 

 Mediterranean. — Note on the development of the graphic 

 meth d of representation by means of photography, by M. 

 Marey.— On a new species of Sirenian discovered in the 

 Paris basin, by M. Albert Gaudry.— Observations on the new 

 planet, 237 Palisa, made at the Paris Observatory (equatorial 

 of the west tower), by M. G. Bigourdan.— On the effects of 

 mutual forces: determination of a function represented by a 

 simple curve involving most of the laws of general physics (one 

 illustration), by M. P. Berthot.— Researches on the laws of dif- 

 fraction of light in the shallow of an opaque screen with recti- 

 linear edge, by M. Gouy. In this paper the author's remarks 

 are restricted to rays diffracted in the geometrical shadow, the 

 edge of the screen being normal to the plane of diffraction con- 

 taining the incident ray and the diffracted rays.— On certain 

 chemical compounds obtained by means of a gas pile, and of 

 appliances for subjecting the gases to electric effluvium, with 

 tabulated results, by M. A. Figuier.— A method of transforming 

 liquid to dry electric piles, by M. Onimus.— Further researches 

 on the coagulation of colloidal substances, by M. K. Grimaux. 

 Here the author deals first with substances whose coagulation is 

 checked by dilution, secondly with those whose dilution stimulates 

 coagulation. — Researches on the preparation of hydrated chromic 

 acid, and on some new properties of anhydrous chromic acid, by 

 M. II. Moissan.— On the production of the neutral orthophos- 

 phate of aluminium in the anhydrous and crystallised state, by 

 M. A. dc Schulten.— On a new alcohol derived from the bird- 

 lime prepared from the inner bark of the Ilex a.-.uifolium : note 

 on a process of the late T. Personne, by M. J. Personne, 

 jun. — Complementary observations on colchicine and colclu- 

 ceine, by M. S. Zeisel.— On the various processes employed 

 for determining the phosphoric acid in the superphosphates 

 of commerce, by M. E. Aubin.— On the efficacy of vinous 

 yeast artificially prepared, by M. Alph. Rommier.— On the 

 theoretical figures of certain simple substances (lithium, 

 sodium, potassium, rubidium, caesium) forming a series, by 

 M. L. Hugo.— On a new type of the leech family infest- 

 ing crocodiles in the Senegambian rivers, by MM. Poirier 

 and A. T. de Rochebrune.— On the fossil cones of the genus 

 Sigillaria in the Carboniferous flora, by M. R. Zeiller.— Note on 

 the assimilation of maltose in the animal system, by MM. A. 

 Dastre and E. Rourquelot.— On the dyspepsia of liquids, by M. 

 V fVudhoui.— Note on a meteorite observed at Concarneau on 

 June 2S, 18S4. by M G. Pouchet.— On a meteorite observed at 

 the Procadero Observatory on the same night, by M. L. 

 Jaubert. 



Berlin 



Physiological Society, Tune 20.— Prof, du Bois Reymond 

 showed a rabbit with highly-deformed incisors, which had been 

 reared in the Institute. The two lower incisors were several 

 times their natural length, projecting deeply as they did into 

 the nostrils, and were gladiate above and crooked behind. In 

 the upper jaw only one incisor was of about the same size as 

 either of the two under ones. Interiorly it was curved in the 

 form of a semicircle, and rested in a furrow of the under jaw. 



Ma iticati which was rendered difficult by the deformation of 



the incisors, was effected by lateral movements of the jaws.— 

 Prof. Christiani spoke on the physiology of the bram, con- 

 necting his remarks with his former experiments, by which lie 

 had demonstrated the existence of two respiratory centres above 

 the medulla oblongata, one of which, situate at the base of the 

 third ventricle, was a centre for inspiration, the other located in 

 the fossa sylvii for expiration. These two centres exercised an 

 influence also on the heart, the one under moderate stimulation 

 producing cessation in systole and retardation of pulsation, the 

 other cessation in diastole and acceleration of pulsation. By 

 the side <>f the inspiratory centre, and in association with it, 

 Prof. Christiani found a co-ordinatory centre for collective com- 

 bined movements of the body. On the excision of the brain of 

 a rabbit, if these three centres were left uninjured, and if all 

 considerable bleeding that might prejudicially affect the pre- 



served parts of the brain were avoided, the animal acted entirely 

 as in a normal state : it was able to walk, to run, to spring, to 

 avoid objects in its way, to respond to impressions of seeing and 

 hearing. If, on the other hand, the co-ordinatory centres were 

 injured, these movements all failed : the animal lay on its 

 side, and occasionally showed epileptiform convulsions. Prof. 

 Christiani, having further communicated a series of detailed 

 observations gathered from his experiments with disbrained 

 rabbits, developed the hypothesis he had conceived for himself 

 respecting the function of the brain. According to this hypo- 

 thesis a large number of energies acted on the brain, in part 

 directly, in part by the medium of the nerves, which, in the 

 ganglia at the base of the brain, were transformed into reflex 

 movements. To this primary circuit the cerebrum formed a 

 kind of secondary circuit into which were derived a large 

 number of the advancing energies, and there hoarded up. 

 If the cerebrum were removed, then all energy was transposed 

 into reflex movement, and consequently disbrained and de- 

 capitated animals manifested much stronger reflex movements 

 than did such animals as possessed this secondary derivation. 

 In the higher animals the energy distributed into the cerebrum 

 formed ideas and consciousness, the quality of which might 

 vary, even when the operative sensuous stimulations were com- 

 pletely equal, according to the relative activity of the particular 

 parts of the cerebrum which were stimulated, and according to 

 their configuration. With this conception of the function of 

 the cerebrum Prof. Christiani could not accept the doctrine, 

 advocated quite recently by Hitzig, Ferrier, and Munk, re- 

 garding the localisation of the activity of the cerebrum, and in 

 support of his conception he adduced the highly contradictory 

 data that had been accumulated on the sphere of vision. As 

 was known, one portion of the observers, after removal of the 

 sphere of vision, had found blindness to be the result, while 

 another portion, after such an operation, had found that the 

 animals operated on were yet able to see. These contradictions 

 Prof. Christiani sought to reconcile by the assumption that the 

 removal of the sphere of vision produced a stimulation which 

 interfered with those derived from the sensuous organ, and so 

 presented the appearance of the failure of the function. 



CONTENTS Page 



The Cholera Germ 237 



Sully's "OutHnes of Psychology." By Dr. George 



J. Romanes, F.R.S 238 



Our Book Shelf :— 



Hands' " Numerical Exercises in Chemistry " ... 239 



Licherdopol's " Chimie Elementara " 239 



McCormick's "Voyages of Discovery in the Arctic 



and Antarctic Seas and Round the World "... 239 

 Letters to the Editor :— 



Science and the Sandhurst and Woolwich Examina- 

 tions — E. Douglas Archibald 239 



Animal Intelligence.— T. W. Kirk; Dr. Henry 



MacCormac 240 



Butterflies as Botanists.— Dr. Fritz Muller .... 240 



Christian Conrad Sprengel.— Dr. Fritz Muller . . 240 



Voracity of the Drosera.— -A. Balding 241 



Lightning. — Worthington G. Smith 241 



Solar Halo.— W. W.Taylor 241 



Insect Pests in the United States 241 



The Forestry Exhibition : 243 



Technical School Education at the Health Exhibi- 

 tion. By Win. Lant Carpenter 244 



Chemical Research in England 246 



On the Evolution of Forms of Ornament. By Prof. 



Jacobsthal. {Illustrated) 248 



Notes 2 5 J 



Our Astronomical Column : — 



Minima of Algol 253 



The Comet 1858 III • • • ■ 253 



The Physiological Bearing of Electricity on Health. 



By Dr. W. H. Stone, F.R.C.P 253 



The Movements of the Eaith, V. By J. Norman 



Lockyer, F.R.S. (IllmtraUd) 254 



Zoological Nomenclature 256 



University and Educational Intelligence 259 



Societies and Academies 259 



